Editor 
With a convicted felon, sex predator, tax fraud, compulsive liar and a narcissist Donald Trump in the White House, it is safe to say that the year 2026 is unlikely to be any better than the one that just ended. Add to that the genocidal zionist and war criminal Benjamin Mileikowsky (aka Netanyahu) and the future looks grim.
Let us consider some of the trouble spots of the past year. Topping the list is the zionist-perpetrated genocide in Gaza. It is ongoing despite the so-called ceasefire that was announced with such fanfare in Sharm el-Sheikh on October 13, 2025.
The two million Palestinians have not had a single day of respite since October 7, 2023. Virtually the entire infrastructure of Gaza has been destroyed: homes, apartment blocks, hospitals, universities, colleges, libraries and water treatment plants have been deliberately targeted. This is part of the zionists’ relentless campaign to wipe out Palestinian identity and drive them out of the Gaza Strip.
Palestinians living under zionist occupation in the West Bank face just as much pressure and terror. They are being targeted by the heavily-armed squatters backed by the zionist occupation army. Palestinian homes are raided in the middle of the night. Children are terrorised by the gun-totting zionist thugs.
Thousands of Palestinians have been kidnapped and are being tortured in Israeli dungeons. Sexual abuse is also widespread. Masjid al Aqsa is especially targeted with the zionists’ demonic plan to destroy it and build their mythical third temple on its ruins.
It is unlikely that the Palestinians’ plight will improve any time soon. In fact, it is likely to get worse because the collective west led by the US is providing material, political and military support to the zionist war criminals. It is much the same story with the Arabian and Muslim regimes. They are complicit in zionist-perpetrated crimes.
Islamic Iran
Grim as the Palestinians’ plight is, there are other trouble spots that will continue to make headlines. The west’s pathological hatred of Islamic Iran will continue to manifest itself in scandalous allegations against its peaceful nuclear program, as has been the case for four decades.
The aim of the collective west, led by the US is clear. Islamic Iran must be denied its legitimate right to peaceful nuclear energy, and disarmed so that it cannot defend itself against the violent extremists that rule Washington and Tel Aviv. The leadership and people of Iran will continue to resist such illegal acts and defend their ideology and territory with all their might.
Islamic Iran has shown that it is not only capable of defending itself but also delivering blows to aggressors. In the 12-day war of aggression imposed by the US-zionist twin evil entities on the Islamic Republic, Tehran demonstrated its capabilities. Its missile technology and drones are all indigenously produced.
In the six-month period since the war criminals’ aggression, Islamic Iran has taken major strides in developing much more powerful and accurate missiles. They are capable of wiping out the zionist entity should it repeat the mistake of June 2025.
True, in the economic arena, the Islamic Republic faces major challenges. America’s illegal sanctions have blocked normal business opportunities for Iran. Many countries, fearful of US reprisals, refuse to do business with Tehran.
The leadership of the Islamic Republic has managed to bypass these sanctions by creative ways. Barter trade and the use of local currencies have enabled Tehran to mitigate some of the ill-effects of sanctions.
Iran’s enormous oil and gas reserves as well as vast mineral resources including gold deposit discoveries will enable it to overcome these challenges. It will, however, take time.
In the 46 years since the victory of the Islamic revolution, Iran has withstood the enemies’ repeated onlsaughts. These included the assassination of its top leaders—it continues in the form of the assassination of its nuclear scientists and top military commanders—and an eight-year imposed war through Saddam’s Iraq.
It is to the credit of its leadership that they have retained the trust and confidence of the vast majority of the people, notwithstanding the tiny but noisy minority opposed to the Islamic system of governance. Such minorities exist in every society and demand more than their share.
Pakistan’s travails
Neighbouring Pakistan offers a good example which is the other trouble spot that is likely to remain in the news for the foreseeable future barring some drastic unexpected development. A group of ambitious and greedy generals led by Asim Munir have usurped power by imprisoning the most popular political leader in Pakistan, Imran Khan. He is kept in horrible condition in solitary confinement and even court-approved visits are not allowed.
In order to curry favour with Trump, the generals are targeting Afghanistan. How relations with the Taliban have soured is a sad tale of Pakistani mismanagement borne of the generals’ bloodyminded attitude. It makes no sense to make enemies of countries on Pakistan’s eastern and western borders but who should explain this to the thick generals?
Hizbullah, Ansarallah and Syria
Three other locales in West Asia will remain the focus of attention: Lebanon—and in particular Hizbullah—the Ansarallah in Yemen and Syria. As is evident, all three are being targeted by the zionist war criminals. Both Hizbullah and Ansarallah will resist zionist aggression while Syria’s takfiri rulers will continue to appeal to their patrons—the US, Turkiye, Qatar and Saudi Arabia—to help them. No such help will be forthcoming.
Banu Saud and Banu Israel
Before moving away from the region, it cannot be ruled out that the Banu Saud may announce the open embrace of the Banu Israel. This is what the zionists have desperately sought for decades. Banu Saud are the key to opening the door to others, primarily Pakistan to come out openly and establish relations with the zionist entity.
Venezuela and Trump’s non-war on drugs
Away from the Muslim world, Venezuela will continue to face American aggression. Trump’s attacks on boats alleging he is targeting drug smugglers is an untenable excuse for belligerence. His allegation that Venezuela is smuggling fentanyls into the US is so preposterous that only a moron like Trump can make it.
Mexico is the main hub supplying fentanyl to the US. Besides, Trump pardoned the former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez who was serving a 45-year prison term in the US for cocaine smuggling. So much for Trump’s war on drugs!
Ukraine
One other trouble spot must be mentioned: Ukraine. Russia will continue to press ahead with its military campaign until its objectives are achieved. Ukrainian forces are gradually being grinded and their ability to hold the frontline appears increasingly unlikely. Notwithstanding Europe’s support of Ukraine, its chances of retaining territory in the east along the Russian border appear untenable.
A word of caution is in order. The analysis presented above is based on our assessment of the situation. We do not have a crystal ball nor do we make any claims to knowing the future—nastaghfirullah. Only Allah knows what the future holds.
